Window-screen



(No Model.)

A. L. CLARK.

. WINDOW SCREEN. No. 292410. I I Patented Jan. Z1884 W km-ass as, x. Mme

. U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. J

ALFRED L. CLARK, or DUBUQUE, IOWA.

- WINDOW-SCREEN.

I SPECIFICATION forming pait of Letters Patent No. 292,410, dated January 22, 1884.

Application filed June 1:2, 1883.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED L. CLARK, of Dubuque, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in WVindow-Screens; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to that kind of windowscreens in which the screen is wound upon a spring-roller attached to the window-sill, and

has its upper edge secured to the lower rail of the lower sash, so that in raising and lowering the sash the screen will also be raised and lowered, and always cover the opening formed by raising the sash.

'The object of my invention is an improvement upon such window-screens,with the view of making them more effective and convenient; and to accomplish these obj (acts I have .found it essential, first, to provide a convenient receptacle for the springroller upon which the screen is wound when not in use; second, to provide means whereby a continual tension is put upon the screen,whether wound upon the spring-roller or not; third, to provide a catch whereby the screen is automati- :cally attached to the sash, and which allows of the ready detachment of said screen from said'sash; fourth, to provide suitable guides in which the edges of the screen move when said screen is raised or lowered, the use of which guides renders the movement of the screen certain and even; and, fifth, to provide means whereby the screen will not be affected by currents of air or like causes and the edges of the same withdrawn from the guides above referred to. .To the accomplishment of the above the invention CODSlStSe First. Of a suitable box or receptacle consisting of atop and front plate, and provided at each end with suitable metalendpieces, which serve as bearings for the spring-roller, and which are suitably bent at their lower ends to afford ready and convenientmeansfor attaching this boX to the window-sill.

Second. Of a metal catch formed of a strip of metal, bent as shown, and provided with a cross-piece, with which pins secured'to the window-sash make contact. This catch is se- (No model.)

cured to the upper end of the screen, and upon the top of the box which incloses the spring-roller I provide a pin, whichholds the said catch in position. These parts are so arranged that when the window is lowered the screen is automatically securedthereto, and is raised and lowered therewith, the parts beving capable of ready detachment.

spring-roller when the screen is not in use, and

serve to prevent any sagging of said screen caused by air-currents or -dtherwise.

For the better understanding of the invention and in order that those skilled in the art may make and use the same, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,and in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a window-casing, showing my improvements; Fig. 2, a vertical section taken on line as a" of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a j

view in detail of thebox inclosing the springroller and screen and also the'catch for attaching the screen to the window-sash; and Fig. 4, a sectional View of the spring-roller with screen removed, and showing the means for attaining .a continual tension on the same;

Fig. 5, a view in detail of the metal guides. Fig. 6 is a section on the lineyy of Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 is a section illustrating the position of the strips f f to form the screen-guides.

Like letters refer to corresponding parts in each of the views. In the drawings, A represents the windowcasing, B the upper, and O the lower,windowsash, and D the window-sill.

Situated upon the sillD is the box or casing,

in which the spring-roller hereinafter referred to is mounted. This boX,-which is shown 1 clearly in Fig. 3, consistsof a top piece, E, front piece, 13, and end pieces, E. The top and front piecesl prefer to make of wood, and,

if desired, they may be formed of a single piece. The end pieces, E", are formed, preferably, of metal, and are bent at their lower ends to form flanges a, through which pins a are passed to secure this box to the window-sill. Vhen it is not desired to use the scree'n-as, for instance, in winter-this entire box, together with the spring-roller F and screen G, can be removed by simply withdrawing the pins a. The end pieces, 15 are provided at or about their centers with suitable openings, into which are inserted the ends of the shafts 0, upon which the spring-roller F is revolved. The spring-roller]? is of ordinary construction, with the exception that at a point near one end it is provided with a hole, I), Fig. 4, a corresponding hole being produced in one of the shafts 0, upon which the roller revolves and into which apin, d, is inserted,to prevent the spring cfrom unwinding until the screen G is attached to said roller. \Vhen this screen has been securely attached to the roller, as shown,the pin d is removed and the screen is subjected to a constant tension.

Secured in any desirable manner to the upper end of the screen G,and extending entirely across the same, is a rod, H, to the center of which is secured the catch, to be hereinafter referred to. The ends of this rod H enter the metal guides I, secured to the side of the window-casing, as also do the rods H, &c.,which are secured to the screen at any desirable intervals, these last-named rods winding around the spring-roller when the screen is not in use. Instead of these rods 11, it may be found advantageous to secure to each edge of the screen G a thin strip of steel, said strips winding around the spring-roller with the screen and answering the same purpose as said rods H.

The metal guides referred to consist each of a flat strip, 7, secured to the window-casing and in the groove in which the windowsash moves and protrudes out beyond said groove. At a suitable distance from this strip f is secured a strip, f bent at right angles lengthwise, the two strips forming the desired guide, and being secured to the window-casing in any desirable manner. The strip f extends from the windowsill up to the highest point to which the lower sash can be raised; but the strip f extends only from the top of the box in which the spring-roller is inclosed up to the same point as does the strip 1'.

XVhen the box abovereferred to is placed in position on the sill, the inner edges of the end pieces, E", come in contact with the strip f and prevent said box from being pushed in too far.

the top piece, E, of the box or casing which incloses the spring-roller. The top piece, E, is provided, as shown, with a pin or knob, 1', against which the cross-bar h impinges to hold the catch in position.

Secured to the arms 1 at the point shown is a cross-bar, j, the object of which will be stated.

The lower bar, J, of the lower window-sash, C, is provided with two or more pins or knobs. k is, below each of which is formed on said lower bar the inclined plane k 7t.

\V hen the several parts are in their proper positions and the lower window-sash is lowered, the inclined planes L It are brought in 7.

is subjected continually. The window is then dow without raising the screen, the catch is 5 withdrawn from contact with the pins j by a motion of the hand drawing out the crossbar It.

Throughout the foregoing description I have described and illustrated the springroller and the box in whichit is inclosed as situated on the window-sill and upon the inside of the window-casing; but I do not wish to confine myself to this arrangement, as it will be evident that said parts might be arranged at the top or bottom, and upon theinside or exterior of the window-casing, as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and that for which I desire to secure Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a spring-roller, of a window-screen adapted to be automatically attached to the window-sash by means of a catch secured to the free end of said screen, and engaging with projections upon the lower bar of said sash when the latter is raised or lowered, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the catch constructed and attached to the window-screen and its casing, as described, of the lower window-sash, 0, provided with the pins k k and inclines k 7;, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a springroller and a window-screen wound thereon, of a box for inclosing and supporting the same, said box consisting of the top and front pieces, E E, and end pieces, E, bent at their lower ends to form flanges a, substantially as described, whereby,with the aid of pins or other suitable means, said box, with its inolosures, isadaptmetal guides I, consisting each of the strips 10 ed to be removably attached to the windowf f arranged as described and shown. sill, as set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 4. The combination of spring-roller F, winpresence of two witnesses. 5 do screen G Wound on said roller window- 1 sas G, and bars H H, as and for the purpose ALB RED CLARK \Vitnesses:

set forth.

5. The combination of spring-roller F, win- M. J. CLAGETT,

(low-screen G, window-sash 0, bars H H, and GEO. H. COOPER, J 1'. 

